This HA Honda motorbike is one of a pair that are decked out with pink and blue squares. Notice that it has panniers and a top box for equipment, but the fire extinguisher is mounted in front of the box. Amber flashing lights are fitted to the front and on the top of the box. It has HA logos on all sides, and is operated on behalf of the HA by CF Motoring Services Ltd. to rescue stranded motorists and hence reduce congestion.
KR03 UXC This yellow Ford Transit is a Highways Agency ‘Incident Support Unit’. It is liveried with orange and yellow diagonal stripes down the sides and traditional chevrons on the rear. It also has two amber lighbars.
WP53 ZTL is a Mitsubishi Shogun operated by The Highways Agency. Although not an emergency vehicle, it is used to patrol major roads. The crew do not have the same rights as traffic police, but are able to direct traffic in the event of an incident.
From this view you can see how the livery differs from an emergency vehicle. We have yellow and black battenburg markings and orange and red flashing lights on the roof bar.
This vessel is Lambeth, a 13.5m catamaran that is used by the Port of London Authority. New in Summer 2009, it is the first of four new vessels for the authority, each of which is named after a London bridge.
This yellow and white jet ski has yellow and green checkers up the sides as well as a blue strobing beacon mounted on the front. It was spotted in Portsmouth harbour and is used by the Queen’s Harbour Master volunteer harbour patrol there.
This is a Harbour Master vessel called Westbourne. It is operated by the Port of London Authority on the River Thames. Notice the twin blue lights on the roof of the cabin.
Ravensbourne II is another Port of London Authority craft.
This is a Harbour Master survey vessel. It has striking yellow striping on the port and starboard bow and a blue flashing light at the top of the mast. It was spotted on the River Ouse in York.
This German registered Hagglunds BV206 has been modified by Hellgeth and is fitted with a Mercedes diesel engine. It is not known which emergency service this advanced all terrain vehicle is used by.
This French registered Fiat based demosntrator ambulance has been created by the European coachbuilder Gruau and wears the companies distinctive logo on its sides.
This German Mercedes fire truck was spotted in London in 2008. The writing on the side indicates it was used by “International Firefighters” (translated from German and French).
This 2005 BMW 3 series is operated by the Feuerwehr, the German equivalent of the fire service. Unlike most UK vehicles, it features a massive and very un-aerodynamic roof mounted light bar.
Another 2005 BMW 3 Series, except this time the touring version. Although it carries blue lights, there is no indication to which emergency service operates it.
The rear view of this compact estate car in Swiss police livery.
This is an Irish-registered Mercedes Vario van which is in active service by the HSE-Mid West Ambulance Service (equivalent of the UK’s NHS). It is used as an ambulance mobile control unit and was in the UK as part of a display of new ambulances.
This is Dutch police officer Tommy Hamelink from the Politie Haaglanden. He has with him his own police cycle which is fitted with blue flashing lights and has the unusual ability to fold in half for transporting. On patrol in the Netherlands, he uses a rigid bike.
Here again is a dutch police officer taking part in a cycle training course in England.
These two German Polizei BMW motorbikes were spotted in York in 2005. The officers are wearing green clothing with Polizei wording. The bikes have blue lights to the front, and a rotating blue light on a telescopic pole that can be seen from the rear.
The rear view of one of the German bikes. They have a small matrix sign on the rear and the panniers and bodywork are in the traditional green and white colours. They look like they are heavy laden as they travel through England to the Isle of Man. They attend the TT Races each year to help the Isle of Man Police deal with any Germans they may come across.
This Ford Transit ambulance had a very basic livery and two blue flashing lights on the roof. It is a Belgian army ambulance that was spotted in England.
Although not a UK emergency vehicle, this 2004 BMW 5 Series was photographed in the UK an is operated by the German Polizei. It seems unbelievable hat the car can travel at speed with the large un-aerodynamic light bar on the roof.
Here we have a Hyundai ambulance from the Irish Republic. Note the personalised number plate and the roof rack mounted cluster of blue lights.
This Dutch fire engine was seen in the UK as it was travelling across the country before going on to Northern Ireland. It was in convoy with the vehicle below.
The second vehicle is a fire engine and crash truck from the Dutch air force.
This Porsche Cayenne Turbo is used as an emergency medical support vehicle for the British Touring Cars Championship. It is seen following the cars on the first lap when the chance of accidents is greatest. It also caries out this role in all of the support races.
The rear view. A doctor, a surgeon and a paramedic are driven by an experienced racing driver. In previous years, this car was fitted with green flashing lights, but since 2009 has had blue lights fitted for use on-track.
NL09 DTF This silver Skoda Fabia is used by the Northern Doctors Urgent Care service. It is used to provide out of hours GP coverage in the North East of England.
The rear view, showing the full-width green light bar.
FY58 WWR This is a minimally liveried Nissan X-trail that is used by BASICS doctors and nurses.
BJ07 MVS This is a Subaru Forester that is used by Hampshire BASICS doctors. It is carrying “Trauma Team” wording on the bonnet and is fitted with a half-width light bar.
AY55 WCK This is an emergency doctor’s car supplied by Ipswich Toyota. It is a silver Toyota RAV4. Notice the small piece of green and yellow striping added to the front wings and the racy bonnet air scoop.
RJ58 KTL This is a red Honda Civic that is used as a doctor car in support of the Tour of Britain cycle race. The sign on the windscreen says ‘race doctor’. It is fitted with a magnetically mounted green rotating beacon on the roof and various race sponsors down the sides.
The rear view of the Civic.
WU55 NDX This photograph shows a Renault Megane estate decked out in doctors colours. The bonnet has had a large yellow graphic added to increase the cars conspicuity and a green light bar has been fitted to the roof rails.
YK57 CYX is a Honda CR-V that is used by Hull PCT out-of-hours doctor service.
In this photograph we can see a London HEMS doctor riding a St. John Ambulance cycle as part of a demonstration.
EA08 TLZ This Skoda Octavia vrs is a 2008 addition to London HEMS’s fleet. It is the first vehicle to carry prominent advertising for sponsor Saints Transport. It is fitted with a blue/green roof light bar, dashboard flasher unit and leds behind the grille.
The rear view of the Skoda. “Not in use” signs can be seen as the vehicle awaits being made operational.
ET06 VGE A London HEMS doctor and paramedic return to their car in Hyde Park after a training session.
FH55 OWJ is a VW Sharan TDI which is also operated by BrisDoc which operates within the South of Bristol.
The rear view of the VW Sharan MPV.
WV54 TUJ is a Peugeot 307 HDI estate operated by BrisDoc (Bristol doctors on call) out of hours service. It is decked out with ambulance-style green and yellow battenburg markings and a yellow bonnet. A full-width green light bar is also attached to the roof rails.
The rear view of the same car.
L700 SPS An overhead view of one of the HEMS Skoda Octavia’s. Notice the ‘H05’ roof markings, enabling the vehicle to be easily identified from above.
ET06 VGE is a Skoda Octavia VRS that is used by the HEMS doctors in London. It is used in addition to the air ambulance to get highly trained doctors to serious medical incidents in the capital. The vehicle is sponsored by D&G cars.
The rear view of the Octavia. You can see the NHS logo, London Ambulance Service logo as well as subtle adverts for the sponsoring company.
L700 SPS This is another Skoda Octavia VRS that is sponsored by SP Services. The car has the sponsors logo on all sides and also carries the personalised registration plate ‘SPS’. If you look closely at the grille, you can see cut-outs for the repeating flashing lights.
M4 UGR This Volvo V70 is used as a doctor’s emergency car. It carries full-height ambulance battenburg markings on the sides and is fitted with small blue flashing lights around the bodywork. It also can be fitted with a full width green and blue light bar onto the roof rails. It is used by a BASICS doctor in Suffolk.
This is a VW Passat estate used by the Thamesdoc service.
CN04 XZT is a Peugeot 307 emergency doctor’s car. It has a simple green and white chequered band down the sides and over the bonnet. A green flashing light is attached to the roof rails and can have the ‘doctor’ sign separately illuminated.
NK06 DHD This Mercedes Benz Vito van is decked out in ambulance-style battenburg markings. It has a clear light bar that flashes green, along with the repeaters in the front grille and wings. It has no writing on it expect for an ‘NHS’ logo. The central part of the vehicle has three seats for transporting people.
Here is one of four Audi A4s that are used for emergency medical support at Silverstone race circuit in Northamptonshire. They all carry green flashing lights on the roof and a large Audi sign on the side from their sponsors.
YK55 AEL This Honda CRV is an NHS emergency doctors’ car. It is an ex-TENYAS rapid response vehicle. After the collapse of North Yorkshire Emergency Doctors, TENYAS took over the service. The TENYAS wording was removed from the rearmost side windows and the blue lights changed to green.
The rear view of the CRV. Notice that the roof light bar contains red lights to the rear that can be used when the vehicle is stationary.
NH05 TPF is a green Ford Focus doctors car. ‘Doctor On Call’ is written along the back, the sides have green and white checker markings and the front has ‘Gateshead Doctors On Call’ written in mirror. The roof has a mag-mount green flashing light. [inset: front view]
Y497 TJW is an ex-HEMS (London) Subaru that is now used by BASICS Hampshire in Basingstoke. It has call sign ‘IMCARE 0200’ and operates largely up and down the M3.
EX54 XVL is a Subaru Impreza used by HEMS doctors in London when they are not in their helicopter. It is a slight departure from their previous vehicles as the bodywork is bright blue rather than dark blue (see below). It still has the blue and green flashing lights and distinctive livery.
The side view of the same Impreza. The doctors and paramedics that are part of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service are easily recognised by their orange jumpsuits. The website shown along the door sills is for a medical supplies company that sponsor them.
T669 HPX This is a Honda BASICS emergency doctor’s motorbike. It operates out of Portsmouth and is an ex-Hampshire police bike. It is very rare to see a motorbike fitted with green flashing lights. This will be short-lived however, as it is due to re-fitted with blue lights in early 2005.
The same motorbike now fitted with blue lights. This medical response motorcycle was extensively used for Medical Incident Officer duties during the 2005 Portsmouth International Fleet Review and International Festival of the Sea. It’s role is displayed on a large placard on the front.
VN52 FFS This is a Subaru Impreza ambulance / doctor car. It is used by London’s Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) team to get to emergency calls when the helicopter is unavailable. The 4WD turbo-charged Impreza has lightening-quick acceleration and superb handling, but these qualities will be rarely used on the capital’s congested roads.
The rear view, showing the high visibility markings and the roof-mounted green and blue flashing lights, very rare in the UK. They can be used because a doctor and a paramedic will be in the vehicle.
EU53 MXW This is another of the HEMS road-going vehicles. It is a Subaru Forrester, in blue, with the same markings and light bar as the Impreza above. Notice the image of the aircraft on the bonnet of all the cars.
The rear shot.
BG52 ZFL This is a third HEMS Subaru car. This time it is a Subaru Legacy in the same livery.
The rear view of the Legacy. The HEMS cars are unsurprisingly sponsored by Subaru.